We won Malaysian support for partnership with ASEAN: Shaukat
07 May, 2005
|
| Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Saturday Malaysia had fully supported Pakistan's bids to become a full dialogue partner of ASEAN. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ON BOARD PM's PLANE, May 08 (Online): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Saturday Malaysia had fully supported Pakistan's bids to become a full dialogue partner of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
Talking to reporters on board a plane en route to Brunei Darussalam on Saturday, the prime minister termed his visit to Malaysia very successful and said this would help the two countries establish multifaceted relations in future.
He said leading economic experts and businessmen from Islamic world would meet in Kuala Lumpur in coming October and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi had desired he (Mr. Aziz) inaugurate the meeting.
He said, "inaugurating such an significant meeting will be a great honour for me as well as Pakistan."
He said Malaysian companies were interested in investing in sectors like agro-industry, housing, telecommunication and information technology and the economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries would further grow in the coming days.
Mr. Aziz said some Malaysian companies had evinced keen interest in constructing Multan-Faisalabad motorway and new Islamabad airport.
He said he exchanged views with Malaysian leaders on matters of bilateral interests including revitalization of Organization of Islamic Countries and the United Nations reforms.
He said his visit to Brunei Darussalam was meant to explore new avenues of support and cooperation between the brotherly Islamic countries in different sectors.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said Pakistan and Malaysia are closely linked with each other for longstanding brotherly relations based on common faith and traditions.
Speaking to a reception hosted for him by his Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Badawi, the prime minister said the two Islamic countries had complete unanimity of views of all matters of mutual inertest and supported each other's standpoints on international issues.
He said, "We wish to promote our economic and commercial relations with Malaysia similar to strong feelings of friendship and goodwill currently existing between the people of two brotherly countries."
He said efforts for preferential trade arrangements between two countries were making headway and he was optimistic they would contribute well to a early Pak-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement.
He said, "We wait for a free trade pact with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) states."
Mr. Aziz said Pakistani economy had witnessed a turnaround due to vital fiscal management and reforms introduced by the government during last five years and it had been put on track, now.
He said country's economy was growing at seven per cent annually.
The prime minister said Pakistan and Malaysia, as two leading nations of Muslim world should act together for reinvigorating Organization of Islamic Countries in a bid to combat challenges facing Muslims at large effectively.
End.
|
